Here we go, another week & another article! As you can see from the picture above, the food of this week is melts! Mmmmmmm, melts are so, so good… Let’s start with a basic treat I like to cook up. We start with a bagel, and spread the top with LOTS of smear (Cream cheese). Then we slice our favorite pepper up, and sprinkle that on top. Finally, toast the bagel halves for about 2-3 minutes in a toaster oven, or just microwave for the same time. Mmm, this is so damn good! Great way to wake yourself up, I bet! Next up is tuna melts. Damn, are they good! Let’s do this one up recipe-style:

Mmmmmmm, this is a dish best served on a cool night when there’s no tomato soup in the house. Its a delicious dinner, and another favorite of mine. Now, before I scoot, I wanted you all to know that Wednesday night, your favorite Kosher blogger starts his culinary schooling. YES! By the end of may, I’ll be a Pastry Chef! Wanna Donate? Hit me up!
Yes, the ‘Send Renegade Kosher Thru Culinary School’ fund is alive. Help me out, and let’s bring more awesome food to you, my readers! Until next time, Shalom, and Good Cooking!

Okay, that was more for fun, and an excuse to plug these guys NOW for custom KOSHER gifts. 🙂 Seriously, though, we need more sweets. And let’s share some of my comfort food! Let’s make our own fluff to start!

Kosher Fluff

1 Bag Kosher Marshmallows

Put marshmallows in microwavable bowl and microwave on Medium for 1 minute.
Stir for 10-20 seconds with a spatula until smooth.

So now we have kosher fluff! From here, we can make TWO different snacks: Fluffernutters & S’mores sandwiches!

Spread fluff on a slice of bread.
Sprinkle cracker crumbs on the fluff.
Lay pieces of chocolate on the crumbs, then top with another slice of bread.
Nuke for 20 seconds on medium-high.
Press together & eat.

Fluffernutters

bread
kosher fluff
peanut butter

Spread fluff on one slice.
Spread peanut butter on the other slice.
Press together and eat.

Nummy nomnomnom food! 🙂 If these were Krystal’s sammiches, she’d have eaten them! Anyhow, hope you enjoy these treats as much as I do! 🙂 Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!

It’s almost time for Chanukah, and I can finally release some big news. Starting in December, I will be one of 6 bloggers working for KPBS to report on the ’08 Presidential Election. Stay tuned to this blog for more information on how you can read it!

Also, as I listen to the Chanukah Suite, I get to thinking about all the nummy foods coming to us soon. So, once again its time to delve into latkes! Now, this year, I wanted to share a favorite recipe of mine, Apple Pancakes! These nummy treats are tasty, and go great with applesauce. let’s look at how we make them!

Drop dollops onto a hot griddle to the size you want to make them, and cook as you would regular pancakes.

Top with applesauce or powdered sugar and serve.

True, these may not be as close to latkes as one would usually prefer, but for those who have to cut back on greasy food in their diets… Its still a wonderful treat to help in celebrating the holidays! Now, last year at my temple I was trying to explain cheese latkes. I know, I know. Right now people are looking at me in shock. “Cheese!? And Latkes!? Together!?!?” Yes, Cheese latkes. And now, you can make a decidedly Renegade favorite of mine in YOUR home, too! But why do I get all the fun? Friends, I’m going to share with you the recipe I use… And its not even mine. No, for THIS we go to Torah.org and see their take on this treat!

I’ve been pondering all week on what to write about. First off, we can NOT be a kosher blog without talking about the new Kosher Ham Soda from Jones Soda. While I have not tried it myself, but they also came out with a Seahawks Collectors Pack. And, as much as I -love- to watch stupidity in action, I found you a video of it!
So, we’ve discussed wierd kosher soda, but what of kosher food? Well, a week from today is Turkey Day for the US, so we should likely come up with some turkey stuff. Mainly, what to DO with leftover turkey. Now then, this first recipe is for a tasty & healthy sandwich that works great for company potlucks, school & work lunches, and more. AND, it’s kosher!

Put lettuce, turkey, crutons, Parma!, and anchovies into a LARGE bowl & toss in 1/4 cup of the dressing.

Use the remaining dressing & spread on the inside of the pita pockets, then fill with salad.

Serve with a side of lemon wedges for squeezing fresh lemon juice over the sandwiches.

Not a bad little sandwich, really! Also, if you want, you can also use chicken or even a vegan alternative to chicken for the sandwich. As for the anchovies… It just doesn’t taste the same without them, sorry. 😦 I hope that helps, and I PROMISE to have more side dishes before turkey day. Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!

Yes, your friendly cook is going to attend a blogger meetup. 🙂 Now, what saddens me is San Diego has LOTS of people signed up for a Jewish meetup! Musicians, rabbis, housewives, cooks, bakers, doctors, and the like… And yet NO ONE has started the group! Doh! I’m sure we could start it, some of us! Mabye even have it in ne of the deli’s or kosher restaraunts about town? Ah, well… Pipe dream, I know.

Also, someone commented on a previous post that they couldn’t find kosher Hoisin sauce & kosher fish sauce. No big, no big. We start with the Hoisin sauce, for which I reccomend Lee Kum Kee’s Vegitarian Hoisin Sauce. You can find it OL on Amazon, health food web sites, and gourmet/vegitarian grocery stores usually carry it in stock. Ask your local Kosher grocery store, and mabye they’ll start stocking it for you? As for the fish sauce, the BEST and EASIEST kosher fish sauce is here. It is so simple, and SOOOOOOOOOOO good!

Now, for this week’s recipe, I want to do a Candy Apple Salad, just because we’re getting into the SPOOKY Halloween season! I know, I know. Some groups see Halloween as a holiday the Jewish people shouldn’t celebrate. BUT, this is also a recipe that you can make with your kids, so enjoy! First we take 4 King-Size Snickers Bars (They’re Kosher by the OU, before anyone asks). Chop the bars up roughly into chunks, then set aside for now. Next we’re going to peel, core, & dice 8 Apples. Now comes the FUN part! Take 8 Ounces Cool Whip or Whipped Dessert Topping and put it in a large sealable bowl. Now, let the kids pour the candy & the apples into the bowl, then use a large spatula to stir it ALL together! This can be served right away, or kept covered in the fridge for a day or so before eating. Just a nice dairy treat any kid (Or kid at heart) would love! 🙂 Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!

Well, holy week is behind us, and we’re in a brand new year! To celebrate, I thought I’d look into a growing trend here in the US in gifts from the heart: dessert jars. Now, for those who are unfamiliar with these, the concept i that you layer the dry goods for your favorite cookies or dessert bars in a jar in a decorative manner befove sealing the jar. Then most cover the jar’s top with a decorative fabric & ribbon before adding a recipe card for how to make said dessert. It’s a nice idea, to be honest, and a wonderful way to share your favorite treats with those you love.

Now, to look into this, I’m going to share a few jars you can make up, and also include the recipes to add on a card for the one who gets these as a gift. First off, we’re going to look at oatmeal cookies. I have my own little spin on them, being from the midwest, but we’ll get to that in a minute. First, let’s get together what we need in our jar:

1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 3/4 cups AP Flour

These three I’d group together, then tap down into the bottom of the jar LIGHTLY!
Next we add:

2 cups quick-cooking oats (Oatmeal, for those scratching their heads)

Once again, tap it down lightly to make room. Our next layers are:

1 cup rasins
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I like pecans, myself)

I put the raisins between the oats & nuts usually just to add a bit of contrast to the mix. If you’re not a fan of raisins, a modification can be to substitute 1 cup shredded coconut for the raisins. From here, just screw the lid on, decorate however, and you’re ready to go! But, what to put as a recipe card? Ah, well that’s easy!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
Mix together everything EXCEPT for the jar in a big bowl until fully combined.
Stir in the jar’s contents.
Shape the dough into quarter-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.
Dip the bottom of a glass in water, then in sugar, then use the sugar-coated glass bottom to flatten the cookie balls slightly.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown, then IMMEDIATLY remove from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack.
Yield: About 5 Dozen Cookies

I hope this helps with your gifts, and please feel free to share how you convereted YOUR favorite cookies into dessert jars for friends & loved ones! Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!

Yes, no ice cream is a sad sight indeed… (And yes, that is me in the video!) It reminds me of a treat from my youth. Remember fudgesicles? Those nummy delights we all enjoy on a hot day? But, why buy them, especially if YOUR store’s ice cream section is like the video above, when you can MAKE THEM!

With the Super Bowl this weekend, I wanted to share a few more of my favorite dips this week. And, since it’s almost Tu B’Shevat, ALL the recipes are Dairy (Since it’s traditional to eat dairy on this holiday!) First off, let’s look at a hearty protien-rich dip, Black Bean Dip! Begin with 1 15 oz. Can Black Beans, Rinsed and Drained. Pouting them into a bowl, use a fork or a potato masher to mash the beans into a paste. Once mashed, we want to fold in the following: 1/2 Cup Mayo; 1/2 Cup Sour Cream; 4 oz. Chili Peppers, Diced; 2 Tablespoons Cilantro, Diced; and 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder. Let it rest at least an hour in the fridge before serving with tortilla chips.

Let’s change things up from the bean dip to a Cucumber Dill Dip. First we need 1 Large Cucumber, Peeled, Seeded, and Diced Finely. Pat the cucumber dry with a paper towel, then set it inside a bowl. To this, we need to combine the following: 1 1/4 Cups Sour Cream; 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar; 1 Scallion, Finely Chopped; 2 Teaspoons fresh Dill, Finely Chopped (Or use 1 Teaspoon Dried Dill); 1 Teaspoon Dijon-Style Mustard; A Dash of Hot Sauce; and Salt & Ground Pepper to taste. Let it set in the fridge for 30 minutes (But no more than 2 hours) before serving. As an added touch, top with diced scallions before serving with ridged chips.

Finally, I want to look at a classic dip, Spinach Dip! In a large bowl, we mix together: 2 Boxes Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed & Drained; 1 Jar Bacos (Since the OU made them Kosher!); 1/2 Cup Unflavored Yogurt; and 1/2 Cup Mayo. Toss into the fridge and let set for 3-4 hours before serving with crackers and fresh veggies.

So, I hope these dips give you ideas for the coming Super Bowl. I hope everyone has a good Tu B’Shevat, plants a lot of trees, and that US readers enjoy the commercials during the Super Bowl. Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!

So a dear friend just got her first ultrasound. She’s quite happy. and I hope all goes well with it. The wife & I are looking forward to heading up to Canada to attend her handfasting in another year or so, and it should be fun! It’s great with so many friends recently finding love & getting married. Now, I wanted to share a Canadian treat I like that said friend cued me onto. Let’s work at making Poutine Kosher!First we need a non-meat gravy. Looking around, I have tried several Vegan Gravy recipes. But this one is definently the best I’ve found so far. To start with, we need to cook up a batch of the linked gravy. As it cooks, we need 4 Cups Shoestring French Fries. Some like to fry them up, but I personally prefer to bake them for health reasons. The french fries and gravy should finish cooking at about the same time, which is a good thing! Now, set all the french fries on a platter to be shared by you and your friends, and sprinkle 2 Cups Cheese Curds over the fries. Finally, smother the fries and curds with the gravy and chow down with your friends! This is a snack that I’m sure you’ll love!

In parting, Ralph’s Magic Stars Cereal (sold at Ralph’s Supermarkets), bears an unauthorized OU symbol and is being withdrawn from the marketplace. Individuals spotting this product are requested to contact the Orthodox Union. We can’t end the week without one final Kashrut warning, now can we? Until next time, Shalom et Bonne Cuisine!

Kosher Cooking Carnival #12:
Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for the KCC..

This is the 12th edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival, a monthly treat of kosher blog posts from all over the world. KCC is much more than a list of recipes. Any post that relates in any way to kosher eating fits the bill. We have a very varied menu. Here’s the listing of the previous KCC’s: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11. Since this is the KCC’s birthday month, I want to give a big hand to those bloggers who have kept this running this past year!

…

Okay, enough clapping! Let’s get into this month’s carnival! Please have your tickets ready, keep your hands on the keyboard, and keep an open mind at all times! Thank you, and enjoy the ride!

Keeping in mind fun treats, we also have an article suscussing whether or not Thanksgiving is Kosher. Personally, I think it best to discuss with your own Rabbi whether or not to celebrate this holiday, but that’s just me!

Let’s cheer up from this terrifying news with the fact that there’s a NEW Web Site for Jews in New York to look for their Kosher needs: Kosher-NY.com! In it it lists restaurants, groceries, and everything else you need to live a healthy Kosher life in New York! Which is all well & good, but when do we get Kosher-SDiego.com? Where does NY keep getting these wonderful toys?

Mix ingredients in the order given, then cook over a low heat stirring until cornflour is cooked. Pour into jars and when cold screw lids on tightly.

Note from the Food Past’s Author: My father believed in *big* breakfast cups and this is his mother’s recipe. Be generous with the milk. Also make sure you use milk with enough cream – modern 4% milk is scrawny and feeble. My grandmother had a cow for some years and my father’s estimate of the milk fat from that cow was 25-30%. I wouldn’t go as far as using cream (our tastes have changed and we’re more aware of the consequences of using that level of fat in cooking), but I would definitely never use low fat milk in this recipe.

Since we’re discussing medical issues, let’s next look at Gluten-Free by the Bay, a blog written for those who must keep a gluten-free diet. Well, friends, they have done the impossible by coming up with a recipe for Gluten-Free Knishes! Since this is such a tremendous undertaking, I PROUDLY share this recipe with you all so you, too, can try this wonderful AND tasty traditional food:

Dough Instructions: Using a fork or a dough mixer, blend the contents of the Chebe mix packet in a bowl with 2 tbsp oil or softened margarine and 2 eggs. Add 5 tbsp of milk, milk substitute or water while continuing to mix. Knead dough with hands until all ingredients are fully blended and the dough is smooth. Roll dough into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch or less. Using a knife or pastry scraper, cut into 5×7 inch rectangles (Scraps of remaining dough can be kneaded together and re-rolled to create additional rectangles).

Filling Instructions: Peel potato, cut lengthwise and then into 2-inch slices. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Add potato pieces to the water, and boil until tender. Turn off heat. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash thoroughly. Add chopped spinach to potatoes, and mix until combined. Cover with lid to keep warm.

In a frying pan over low heat, add butter, oil and onion. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until soft, then remove cover and cook until the onions begin to turn golden brown. Remove from heat. Add onions to mashed potato/spinach combination, as well as pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir in one egg. Use wooden spoon or masher to combine.

To Assemble: Using a pastry scraper, carefully transfer each rectangle of dough to the greased baking sheet. Place a small amount of the mashed potato mixture (approximately 2-3 tablespoons) in the center of each rectangle, arranging it so that it there is at least a 1 1/2 inch perimeter of dough around the filling on all sides. Make absolutely sure that no filling or liquid gets on the perimeter of the dough, as it will keep the knish from sealing. Fold dough over widthwise (shorter side to shorter side). Use a fork to crimp the edges of the dough. Make sure all edges are sealed, and patch any holes with small scraps of dough.

Brush the 3 tbsp of oil or egg you have set aside over the top of each knish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Eat while hot or warm. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers and reheat in the oven (without defrosting). Makes 5-6 knishes.

Now, by now we ALL know what Mel Gibson did. While we’re all sick of hearing either side, I was quite amused by Bagel Blogger and their take on the fiasco:

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the dry ingredients. Blend, using the electric mixer, until well mixed.

In a small bowl, combine one whole egg and one egg yolk (reserve egg white for later) and beat well. Add water, honey and oil, and mix well (by hand) until emulsified.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl, and mix vigorously by hand until fully incorporated.

Knead dough with hook attachment or by hand, working until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour (in small amounts) if necessary.

Coat a bowl with a very (very!) small amount of oil and place the kneaded dough into the bowl, rotating to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a damp towel, and put in a warm place (the top of the refrigerator is often a good bet) and allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, punch the dough down and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Divide the rested dough into 12 even pieces and shape into balls. Arrange in a greased 9 inch cake pan. Lightly beat reserved egg white, and brush over top of rolls. Cover with damp towel and allow to rise until doubled – approximately 15 minutes.

That’s all for this month. Please be sure to announce the carnival in your blogs; that way everyone gets more visitors. If you’re interested in hosting an edition of KCC, please let muse know! You can also routinely send her all of your food links, whenever you post something that could be in the Kosher Cooking Carnival. And if you see something that fits the bill on another blog, please send her that link, too. Either send to shilohmuse at gmail dot com or to blog carnival, and at the same time you may discover other carnivals to visit and enter… Thank you for visiting RKC for this edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival. Let’s end this with our usual sendoff: Shalom and Good Cooking!